The family of a five-year-old girl who died following a canoeing tragedy paid tribute to their "beautiful angel" on Tuesday as the search continued for the body of the father of two young brothers who also perished.

Relatives of Grace Mackay said in a statement: "Grace was a funny, caring, thoughtful daughter and granddaughter, full of life, who loved animals and being outdoors.

"She adored her family and was our beautiful angel. We are devastated at the loss of our best friend."

Grace, from Muir of Ord, near Inverness, died in the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Glasgow on Monday after the Canadian canoe she was in capsized on Gairloch, near Ullapool in the Scottish Highlands, on Sunday.

Ewen Beaton, 32, from Beauly, near Inverness, is still missing presumed drowned. His sons, Jamie, two, and Ewen, five, died on Sunday night after being rescued by helicopter from the water and airlifted to hospital.

Grace's 35-year-old father Garry Mackay, and her eight-year-old sister, Callie, who were also in the boat, managed to swim 500 metres to the shore to raise the alarm.

A police spokesman said: "Emergency services have today been carrying out shoreline searches for Mr Beaton between Melvaig and Big Sands caravan and camping site in Gairloch. However, there is sadly still no sign of him.

"Further searches are planned over the coming days and will continue for the foreseeable future."

His family had previously issued a statement saying they were "utterly devastated by what has happened and the loss of our beautiful little boys" and appreciative of all that was being done "to find their adoring father, Ewen".

Ewen Beaton junior was in his first year at Teanassie primary school near Beauly where his mother, Jo, is a cleaner.

Acting headteacher Alison Donald said: "We spoke with the pupils yesterday and they were very quiet, reflecting on the sad news."

Grace was a pupil at Tarradale primary school where she was remembered as a "happy, thoughtful little girl who was popular and well-liked by everybody".

• This article was amended on 29 August 2012. The original referred to Loch Gairloch. Gairloch, which means "short loch", has no need of a further "Loch". This has been corrected.